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Understanding NYS Test Results

I know many parents and teachers out there are wondering how so many of their students scored so “poorly” on those ELA and Math assessments. I took some time to compare the state proficiency levels (those number indicators – Level 1, 2, 3, or 4) to standard scores on a bell curve to shed a little more light on the subject.

Basically, what I found was that the proficiency levels, by no means, represent equal quarters; rather, the scores that fall below the expected proficiency levels (i.e., Levels 1 & 2) make up nearly 75% of all student scores across the state. That means that a 6th grade student that scored better than 71% of other 6th grade students across the state on the NYS Math Assessment still fell in Level 2. By the state standards, this means that this Above Average student failed the test. It also means that only ~25% of students “passed” the test based on these standards that are based solely on expectations that have not been tested.